Tahoe's Naked Sushi Rolls Out new SLO Restaurant

A new Japanese restaurant is set to take its place in downtown San Luis Obispo. Naked Fish, a sushi restaurant based for 15 years in South Lake Tahoe, will open a 2,300-square-foot location in SLO sometime within two to three weeks, owner Karen Staeheli said.

KAYTLYN LESLIE| March 12, 2014

...Staeheli, a 10-year resident of Morro Bay, said she didn’t consider opening a new Naked Fish in San Luis Obispo until Raku went out of business in January, and left vacant a spot that was already set up for serving sushi, she said.

Staeheli said though she is paying around the same rent that former Raku owner Tony Park paid for the space — Park told The Tribune in June he was paying roughly $2.22 per square foot — she does not think that rent will play a part in her business’ success.

“Regardless of the rent, we’re in a great area,” Staeheli said. “I’m not worried about whether it is going to work or not. We’re going to do our absolute best for our customers and workers, and what’s best for the community.”

Staeheli declined to disclose how much she invested in the new restaurant, saying that she “would rather keep numbers out of it.” The new restaurant will have approximately 70 seats and include a lounge area and large 18-seat sushi bar. It will serve lunch and dinner and stay open until about 11 p.m., Staeheli said.